Oh the horror stories I have heard from Japanese colleagues when working alongside Japanese companies.

That being said it's not just software developers, it's practically everyone. Oh the horror stories I hear about my sisters-in-law.

All workers are. It’s practically indentured servitude, based on what I’ve read. It is also exceedingly difficult to be an entrepreneur there. Don’t get me wrong though, it’s a beautiful country to visit.

Whenever people say this, its always "based on what they've read".

Real work culture varies from company to company here, and isn't that different than US work culture overall.

Work culture in general is harsher, but a lot of professional jobs include benefits like housing (usually not too far from full rent) and full commute expenses in their compensation. These are perks usually added to your base salary, which is one of the things foreigners ignore when bringing up stories of lower salaries and harsh work culture. You take your pick which is more important to you when thinking about whether or not to live in Japan.

There's a stronger social contract in place than in other places. Work culture is harsher in terms of hours expected in the office than elsewhere, but there is a stronger respect for workers' material conditions as well.